The present invention relates in general to a tool apparatus, and pertains, more particularly, to an improved holder for a tool, described herein in particular as a carbide cutting tool or cutting tip.
At the present time in Swiss automatic machines cutting tools are provided, typically referred to as "stick tools". These Swiss automatic machines may be used to form many different items and are used, for example, in the Swiss clock and watch field for making intricate watch and clock parts.
At the present time the "stick tool" that is employed is of the construction illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B herein. The tool is comprised basically of a holder body 10 that may be held in a conventional chuck and a carbide cutting tip 12. FIG. 1A shows the tip 12 exploded away from the body 10. FIG. 1B on the other hand shows the tip 12 in place in the body 10. The conventional technique is to secure the tip by braising such as indicated at 14 in FIG. 1B.
When the prior art tool had to be re-ground, parts of the body would be ground away to expose the tip and then the tip could be ground to the desired configuration. Typically, after some limited period of use, the entire body and tip were discarded. The entire prior art process of having to braise the tip and the regrinding made for a very time consuming, costly and complicated procedure for use of the stick tool.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved stick tool construction and one in which, in particular, the carbide tip is easily and readily replaceable in the body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved tool apparatus particularly adapted for supporting a cutting tip and in which there is no requirement of braising of the tip to the holder.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved tool apparatus for in particular supporting a cutting tip which enables ready removal of the tip even in the relatively restricted operating dimensions inherent in these machines.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved stick tool construction with a replaceable carbide or the like tip, which is very easy to use, which is relatively simple in construction, which can be fabricated relatively inexpensively, and which requires little or no maintenance.